Tuesday, February 20, 2024
To provide enhanced transparency into state spending, Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza has opened a portal on the IOC’s website to display expenditures related to the influx of asylum seekers into Illinois.
“While the state is incurring expenses that, frankly, should be paid by the federal government, I want to make sure that taxpayers know exactly what the state is spending money on when it comes to the arrival and care of asylum seekers,” Comptroller Mendoza said.
The new portal can be found here: Asylum Seekers Transparency Portal - The Illinois Office of Comptroller
On the portal site, users can see expenditures, with information including the vendor’s name, which agency paid the vendor, which state fund the money came from, contract information and the total amount paid.
Governor JB Pritzker announced last week that he is increasing the state’s spending commitment with an additional $182 million to help accommodate the migrants, most of whom were bussed from Texas to Chicago by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott – about 40,000 so far.
“As elected officials and citizens discuss the best policies to accommodate the influx of asylum seekers, having accurate numbers will benefit all involved,” Comptroller Mendoza said.
This new portal mirrors Comptroller Mendoza’s nationally recognized effort to disclose all COVID-19 spending. That database was cited in an Associated Press survey of all 50 states to gauge how transparent they are with details about their COVID-related spending. The survey showed Illinois led the pack. Of all the states, “Illinois has one of the most detailed tracking websites,” the AP report states, adding that, “In most states, it’s not that easy.”
The Seattle Times, The Tampa Bay Times and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's editorial boards all urged their states to follow Comptroller Mendoza’s lead on transparency regarding COVID spending.
As with COVID, spending on accommodations for the asylum-seekers is an issue of great public interest, Comptroller Mendoza said.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has committed $70 million in county funds to the effort.
“I encourage Cook County and the city of Chicago to offer similar portals showing their spending on this important issue,” says Comptroller Mendoza. “We especially urge the federal government, which should bear the entirety of the responsibility for this issue, to disclose all its spending.”
The Comptroller’s directive requires state agencies to attach a special code for expenditures related to programs and benefits for asylum-seekers as of November this past year. So far 11 vouchers totaling $31 million have been reported with more expected in the coming months.
State spending that helps homeless or other populations that could benefit migrants may not be included, so this should not be considered an exhaustive list of all the help the state provides asylum-seekers, but it should include all spending directly aimed at these newcomers moving forward as reported by state agencies.
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